Tata Motors unfinished sheds come in way of Singur land return

Will the state pull down the structures spread over 49 acres within the acquired premises lying with the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation? Or, will the Tatas shift it on its own?TNN | September 10, 2016, 09:08 IST

Tata's abandoned shed at Singur.SINGUR: The unfinished factory sheds of the deserted Nano project have come in the way of returning land to its owners in Singur. Will the state pull down the structures spread over 49 acres within the acquired premises lying with the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation? Or, will the Tatas shift it on its own?

Even as Trinamool minister Partha Chatterjee on Friday reiterated the government's stand to carry out the Supreme Court order, state officials are waiting to take instructions from chief minister Mamata Banerjee after she returns from Munich. "Our priority is to return the land," said Chatterjee.

The problem, it seems is the Tata Motor's case pending with the Supreme Court. State urban development ministerFirhad Hakim and CM's advisor on power Manish Gupta instead spent the day talking to government officials over shifting of the power sub-station from Khaserbheri mouza within the acquired premises that has led to power cuts in all the three mouzas it caters to. The work slowed down following protests from the villagers over power cuts.

Local Trinamool MLAs - Rabindranath Bhattacharya and Becharam Manna - spent the day motivating farmers to submit their land claim to Singur block office. Farmers stand divided in Singur. While a section prefers to get their land back to go back to farming, a large section - small and marginal farmers - looks upon Didi to set up industry. "We are waiting for Mamata Banerjee's Singur meeting on September 14. Let us see what she has on offer for us. We will take our decision accordingly," said marginal farmer Saraswati Das from Gopalnagar.